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Xianfeng Emperor 咸豐帝
Qing Wenzong 清文宗
Reign	9 March 1850 – 22 August 1861
Predecessor	Daoguang Emperor
Successor	Tongzhi Emperor
Spouse	Empress Xiao De Xian Empress Xiao Zhen Xian Empress Xiao Qin Xian
Issue
Zaichun, Tongzhi Emperor Princess Rongan
Full name
Chinese: Aixin-Jueluo Yizhu 愛新覺羅奕詝 Manchu: Aisin-Gioro I Ju
Titles
The Emperor
Era name
1851 - 1862 - Xiánfēng 咸豐
Posthumous name	Emperor Xiétiān Yìyùn Zhízhōng Chuímó Màodé Zhènwǔ Shèngxiào Yuāngōng Duānrén Kuānmǐn Zhuāngjiǎn Xiǎn 協天翊運執中垂謨懋德振武聖孝淵恭端仁寬敏莊儉顯皇帝
Temple name	Qing Wenzong 清文宗
Royal house	House of Aisin-Gioro
Father	Daoguang Emperor
Mother	Empress Xiao Quan Cheng
Born	July 17, 1831(1831-07-17) Old Summer Palace, Beijing
Died	August 22, 1861 (aged 30) Chengde Mountain Resort, Chengde
Burial	Eastern Qing Tombs, Zunhua

The Xianfeng Emperor, born Yizhu, (July 17, 1831 - August 22, 1861) was the eighth Emperor of the Manchu Qing Dynasty, and the seventh Qing emperor to rule over China, from 1850 to 1861.

Contents 1 Early years 2 Western Imperialism towards China 3 Death 4 Family & Personal 4.1 See also 5 References

Yizhu was born in 1831 at the Imperial Summer Palace Complex, 8 kilometers northwest of the walls of Beijing, and was the fourth son of the Daoguang Emperor. His mother was the Imperial Concubine Quan (全贵妃), of the (Manchu) Niuhuru clan, who was made Empress in 1834, and is known posthumously as Empress Xiao Quan Cheng (孝全成皇后).

Chosen as the Crown Prince in the later years of Dao Guang's reign, Yizhu had reputed ability in literature and administration which surpassed most of his brothers. He succeeded the throne in 1850, at age 19, and was a relatively young Emperor. He was left with a crumbling dynasty that faced challenges not only internally, but also from Europeans. The situation was not reflected at all by his reign title, Xianfeng (咸丰/咸豐), which means "Universal Prosperity." The Taiping Rebellion began in 1851, and spread to several provinces with amazing speed. Xianfeng dispatched several prominent mandarins, like Zeng Guofan, and Imperial relatives, like the Mongol general Senggelinqin, to crush the rebellion, with limited success. Several Muslim rebellions in the southwest began in 1855.

As western imperialism was cruising its way through Asia, China was not spared. The Europeans saw a crumbling regime as ripe for the enforcement of imperialistic policies on China. Western forces, led by France, after inciting a few battles on the coast near Tianjin, of which not all were decisive victories, attempted "negotiation" with the Qing Government. Xian Feng, under the influence of the Concubine Yi (懿貴妃, later the Empress Dowager Cixi), believed in Chinese superiority and would not agree to any western demands. He delegated Prince Gong for several negotiations that failed to solve any significant problems. On October 18, 1860, the western forces went on to loot and burn the Imperial Summer Palaces of Qīngyī Yuán (清漪园/清漪園) and Yuánmíng Yuán (圆明园/圓明園).

While negotiations are still ongoing with western governments, Emperor Xianfeng and his Imperial entourage fled to the northern travelling palace in Jehol. Becoming more ill physically, Xian Feng's ability to govern also deteriorated, leading to competing ideologies in court that eventually formed two distinct factions — those under the rich Manchu Sushun, Princes Yi and Zheng; and those under the Concubine Yi, supported by Gen. Ronglu and Yehenala Bannermen.

Xian Feng died on August 22, 1861, at the Jehol Travelling Palace (熱河行宮), 230 kilometers northeast of Beijing. Being succeeded by his one surviving son, Zaichun, who was barely 6 years old, Xianfeng had summoned Sushun and his group to his bedside a day before, giving them an Imperial Edict dictating the power structure during the young Emperor's minority. The edict appointed four members of the Imperial line, namely, Zaiyuan, the Prince Yi; Duanhua, the Prince Zheng; Duke Jingshou; and Sushun, and four Ministers, Muyin, Kuangyuan, Du Han, and Jiao Youying, as the eight members of a new regency council to aid the young Emperor. By tradition, after the death of an Emperor, the body was to be accompanied to the Capital by the regents. Concubine Yi and the Empress, who were now both given titles of Empress Dowager, traveled to Beijing ahead of time, and planned a coup that ousted Sushun from the regency. The Empress Dowager Cixi (Concubine Yi) would subsequently rule China for the next 47 years.

Emperor Xianfeng was interred in the Eastern Qing Tombs (清東陵), 125 kilometers/75 miles east of Beijing, in the Dingling (定陵 - meaning "Tomb of quietude") mausoleum complex.

• Father: Emperor Daoguang (1782 - 1850)
• Mother: Empress Xiao Quan Cheng - Imperial Quan Concubine, of the (Manchu) Niuhuru clan, who was made Empress in 1834, and is known posthumously as Empress Xiao Quan Cheng.

• Consorts:

1. Empress Xiao De Xian (孝德显皇后萨克达氏) (? - 1849). Entered the Forbidden City as lady Sakda of the Sakda clan, raised to the rank of Empress after her death when Yi Zhu became the Xian Feng Emperor. She was granted the posthumous title of Empress Xiaode Xian.
2. Empress Xiao Zhen Xian (the Ci An Dowager Empress) (慈安太后) of the Niuhuru clan (1837 - 1881 ).
3. Empress Xiao Qin Xian (The Ci Xi Dowager Empress) (Noble Concubine Yi 懿貴妃) (1835 - 1908).
4. Consort Li, posthumously known as Imperial Noble Concubine Zhuang Jing (庄靜皇貴妃) (1837 - 1890).
5. Imperial Noble Consort Duan Ge (端恪皇貴妃) of the Tongiya clan (1844 - 1910).
6. Imperial Consort Mei (玫貴妃) (1837 - 1890), she gave birth to the emperors second son who died young.
7. Imperial Consort Ji (吉妃) (? - 1905) of the Wang clan.
8. Imperial Consort Xi (禧妃) (? - 1878) of the Chahala clan.
9. Imperial Consort Qing (慶妃) (? -1886).
10. Honoured Consort Wan (? - 1894).
11. Imperial Concubine Yun (雲嬪) (? - 1855) of the Wugiya clan.

• Children:

1. Prince Zaichun, (son of Ci Xi Dowager Empress) who became the Tongzhi Emperor after his death.
2. Second son died young.
3. Princess Rongan Ku Lun (榮安固倫公主) (daughter of concubine Li).

Xianfeng had a large sexual appetite. He was a lover of opera and alcohol, and often became violent with his servants. He was known to smoke opium. ^[1]

• Second Opium War (1856-1860)
• Treaties of Tianjin (1858)
• Beijing Convention (1860)

1. ^ 连载：正说清朝十二帝 SINA

Xianfeng Emperor House of Aisin-Gioro Born: July 17 1831 Died: August 22 1861
Preceded by The Daoguang Emperor	Emperor of China 1850-1861	Succeeded by The Tongzhi Emperor